Progressive Pollution in the Yangtze River Basin, China: The Water Crisis of 2006 and Its Impact on the Ecosystem

Progressive Pollution in the Yangtze River Basin, China: The Water Crisis of 2006 and Its Impact on the Ecosystem

In 2006, China was in the midst of its rapid economic growth, with an astonishing annual GDP growth rate of around 10%. In particular, urbanization and industrialization were accelerating in coastal areas, and the Yangtze River (Yangtze) basin was a symbol of this trend. In this basin, which is home to major cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing, and Wuhan, domestic and industrial wastewater rapidly increased along with population growth, causing serious deterioration of water quality.

During this period, "water pollution" became one of the most pressing social issues in China, in addition to "water resource scarcity. According to a report by the General Administration of Environmental Protection (now the Ministry of Ecology and Environment), the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen concentrations in the Yangtze River basin were much higher than the standard values at many locations, especially in the middle and lower reaches of the river.

The decline in freshwater fish was not only a problem for fisheries, but also directly related to food security. The composition of the ecosystem was being altered as important species such as sea bass and carp disappeared, and instead resistant non-native fish were reproducing. In addition, eutrophication had led to a vicious cycle, with blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooming in large numbers in the lake and its tributaries, which worsened the appearance and quality of the water.

Furthermore, in the same year, multiple water supply disruptions occurred in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, leading to partial water cutoffs and restrictions on water intake in Shanghai, Wuhan, and other cities. With the safety of drinking water uncertain, demand for bottled water surged and prices soared, seriously affecting the living environment.

In response to this situation, the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) moved forward with a review of effluent standards, and in 2007 it finally began to take serious action, including the formulation of a comprehensive plan for the protection of the Yangtze River. At this point, however, the local government's economic-first policies, cozy relationships with businesses, and weak environmental monitoring systems were still obstacles, limiting the effectiveness of these measures.

The pollution problem in the Yangtze River was not merely a case of "destruction of nature," but also an event that symbolized the institutional challenge for China as a whole: how to strike a balance between economic growth and environmental protection.